Red Salamander - Diagnosis

Diagnosis

Pseudotriton ruber is a larger salamander, averaging from 4–6 inches (10–15 cm) long. Its sides and back vary in color from an orange-brownish tint to a bright red depending on its age. Like other salamanders, the red salamander seems to lose its color as it ages, becoming more darkly pigmented with less obscure patterns (Conant & Collins 1998) Another distinguishing characteristic of Pseudotriton ruber is the appearance of numerous irregular black spots down its back. Although the Red Salamander is brilliantly colored and has many distinguishing features, it is sometimes difficult to tell species apart. Pseudotriton ruber is most similar in appearance to the mud salamander (Pseudotriton montanus), but can be distinguished by the difference in size and number of spots running down the dorsum and also by the difference in the color of the iris. The red salamander has more spots than the mud salamander and the spots also tend to be larger in size than those of the mud salamander. In regards to eye color, the red salamander’s iris is a gold-like tint, whereas the mud salamander’s iris is brown (http://www.uga.edu/srelherp/salamanders/pserub.htm). Another way to distinguish the red salamander from the mud salamander is to look at the shape of the head. Mud salamanders typically have a blunter snout than the red salamander (Conant & Collins 1998). Also, the mud salamanders typically have a more contrasting dorsal and ventral coloration than the red salamanders that are more uniform in color (Conant & Collins 1998). When in doubt, other information such as the species’ habitat will be useful for distinguishing one salamander from another.